Pedro Alvarez Called Up By Pirates

9:24pm: Colin Dunlap of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Alvarez has been officially called up. The prospect got the news after Indianapolis' game on Tuesday night. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that Alvarez will be in the lineup against Chicago on Wednesday.

6:55pm: Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports that Pedro Alvarez, the No.2 overall pick in the 2008 Amateur Draft, could make his major league debut for Pittsburgh before the end of the week. Langosch reports that Alvarez is in the lineup tonight for Triple-A Indianapolis, and could be called up as soon as Wednesday for that evening's White Sox/Pirates game. One might think the Bucs might announce Alvarez's first game in advance to sell a few extra tickets either against the Sox or when the Indians come to town for a weekend series.

Alvarez will play every day at third base for the Pirates, thus making current baseman Andy LaRoche into a backup or utilityman; Langosch notes that LaRoche has already been taking grounders at second base in preparation for his new role. With Neil Walker locked into the second base job, LaRoche (who was a well-regarded prospect him not too long ago) could be made available to a team looking for an infield backup. The Bucs would certainly have an easier time moving LaRoche than they would dealing Akinori Iwamura's big contract.

I really doubt it’s Sunday. I’m willing to bet that it will be tomorrow. My thinking is that they were hoping to sell some tickets tonight by debuting Lincoln and Tabata and then trying to get another big gate tomorrow by bringing up Alvarez.

smh…I’ve been waiting on an official announcement before actually buying a ticket, but I might just have to go ahead and hope it’s actually Saturday…they might already have sold a decent amount of tix for that day already with the whole ’60 team and everything.

God damn you, Kovacevic! I’ve been waiting for three days for the announcement of Alvarez’s promotion to buy tickets, and then THE Pirates beat writer says it’s going to be Saturday and I buy tickets because there was only a few left as it was…had I waited another half hour….dammit….I’m an idiot.

I’ve only seen Pedro Alvarez a few times, during Spring Training against the Yankees, and a recent Indy Indians game, and it seems everytime he makes contact the ball rockets off his bat. He seems like the real deal, it will be exciting to watch him.

Umm, call him up now. He will be the best hitter on the team, not like that’s saying a ton, but he’s been tearing up the minors all year now. I want to see the lineup of the future sooner rather than later. I think he will be the next Miguel Cabrera with a lower batting average.

Jones is pretty damn hot right now and I think his stats look even better if he actually has some protection behind him, ala Alvarez. Although, I don’t think Alvarez will be in the 5 hole tomorrow, but rather 6…just to ease him in.